Articles | Volume 18, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5481-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5481-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 Nov 2024
Research article |
| 27 Nov 2024
| 27 Nov 2024
Accumulation by avalanches as a significant contributor to the mass balance of a peripheral glacier of Greenland
Bernhard Hynek
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Geosphere Austria, Department Climate Impact Research, Vienna, Austria
Institute of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
Daniel Binder
Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
Institute for Geosciences University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
Michele Citterio
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark
Signe Hillerup Larsen
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark
Jakob Abermann
Institute of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
Geert Verhoeven
Department of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Elke Ludewig
Geosphere Austria, Sonnblick Observatory, Rauris, Austria
Wolfgang Schöner
Institute of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
Austrian Polar Research Institute, Vienna, Austria
Related authors
Signe Hillerup Larsen, Daniel Binder, Anja Rutishauser, Bernhard Hynek, Robert Schjøtt Fausto, and Michele Citterio
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4103–4118, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4103-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring programme has been running since 1995. In 2008, the Glaciological monitoring sub-program GlacioBasis was initiated at the Zackenberg site in northeast Greenland, with a transect of three weather stations on the A. P. Olsen Ice Cap. In 2022, the weather stations were replaced with a more standardized set up. Here, we provide the reprocessed and quality-checked data from 2008 to 2022, i.e., the first 15 years of continued monitoring.
Michael Paster, Peter Flödl, Anton Neureiter, Gernot Weyss, Berhnard Hynek, Ulrich Pulg, Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund, Helmut Habersack, and Christoph Hauer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-267, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-267, 2024
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Triggered by global warming, glacier melt is repeatedly reaching peak values year by year. This development leads to a continuous enlargement of glacier forelands, accompanied by increasing sediment availability and a change in meltwater runoff behavior. The study describes an essential development step of proglacial channel evolution using river engineering methods. This is relevant to adequately define glacifluvial processes and downstream sediment yields in these transitioning landscapes.
Michael Paster, Peter Flödl, Anton Neureiter, Gernot Weyss, Bernhard Hynek, Ulrich Pulg, Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund, Helmut Habersack, and Christoph Hauer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2022-347, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2022-347, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers experienced record-breaking melting rates in recent years. This development leads to a continuous enlargement of glacier forelands, accompanied by increasing sediment availability and altered meltwater runoff behavior. This study describes the final development step of the gradual meltwater channel evolution using river engineering techniques. This is relevant to adequately define high alpine fluvial processes and sediment yields in these transitional landscapes.
Matthew B. Switanek, Jakob Abermann, Wolfgang Schöner, and Michael L. Anderson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3881, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3881, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS).
Short summary
Short summary
Extreme precipitation is expected to increase in a warming climate. Measurements of precipitation and dew point temperature are often used to estimate observed precipitation-temperature scaling rates. In this study, we use three different approaches which rely on either raw or normalized data to estimate scaling rates and produce predictions of extreme precipitation. Our findings highlight the importance of using normalized data to obtain accurate observation-based scaling estimates.
Jonathan Fipper, Jakob Abermann, Ingo Sasgen, Henrik Skov, Lise Lotte Sørensen, and Wolfgang Schöner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3381, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3381, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
We use measurements conducted with uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and reanalysis data to study the drivers of vertical air temperature structures and their link to the surface mass balance of Flade Isblink, a large ice cap in Northeast Greenland. Surface properties control temperature structures up to 100 m above ground, while large-scale circulation dominates above. Mass loss has increased since 2015, with record loss in 2023 associated with frequent synoptic conditions favoring melt.
Jakob Steiner, Jakob Abermann, and Rainer Prinz
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2424, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2424, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Ice in Greenland either ends in the ocean or on land and in lakes. We show that more than 95% of the margin ends on land. Ice ending in lakes is much rarer, but with 1.4% quite similar to the 2.2% ending in oceans. We also see that more than 20% of the margin ends in extremely steep, often vertical cliffs. We will now be able to compare these maps against local ice velocities, mass loss and climate to understand whether the margin shape teaches us something about the health of ice in the region.
Lea Hartl, Patrick Schmitt, Lilian Schuster, Kay Helfricht, Jakob Abermann, and Fabien Maussion
The Cryosphere, 19, 1431–1452, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1431-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1431-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We use regional observations of glacier area and volume change to inform glacier evolution modeling in the Ötztal and Stubai range (Austrian Alps) until 2100 in different climate scenarios. Glaciers in the region lost 23 % of their volume between 2006 and 2017. Under current warming trajectories, glacier loss in the region is expected to be near-total by 2075. We show that integrating regional calibration and validation data in glacier models is important to improve confidence in projections.
Andrea Securo, Costanza Del Gobbo, Giovanni Baccolo, Carlo Barbante, Michele Citterio, Fabrizio De Blasi, Marco Marcer, Mauro Valt, and Renato R. Colucci
The Cryosphere, 19, 1335–1352, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1335-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1335-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We have reconstructed the multi-decadal (1980s–2023) ice mass changes for all the current mountain glaciers in the Dolomites. We used historical aerial photographs, drone surveys, and lidar to fill the glaciological data gap for the region. We observed an alarming decline in both glacier area and volume, with some of the glaciers showing smaller losses due to local topography and debris cover feedback. We strongly recommend more specific monitoring of these glaciers.
Florina Roana Schalamon, Sebastian Scher, Andreas Trügler, Lea Hartl, Wolfgang Schöner, and Jakob Abermann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4060, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-4060, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric patterns influence the air temperature in Greenland. We investigate two warming periods, from 1922–1932 and 1993–2007, both showing similar temperature increases. Using a neural network-based clustering method, we defined predominant atmospheric patterns for further analysis. Our findings reveal that while the connection between these patterns and local air temperature remains stable, the distribution of patterns changes between the warming periods and the full period (1900–2015).
Matthew Switanek, Gernot Resch, Andreas Gobiet, Daniel Günther, Christoph Marty, and Wolfgang Schöner
The Cryosphere, 18, 6005–6026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-6005-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-6005-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Snow depth plays an important role in water resources, mountain tourism, and hazard management across the European Alps. Our study uses station-based historical observations to quantify how changes in temperature and precipitation affect average seasonal snow depth. We find that the relationship between these variables has been surprisingly robust over the last 120 years. This allows us to more accurately estimate how future climate will affect seasonal snow depth in different elevation zones.
Martin Wieser, Geert Verhoeven, Benjamin Wild, and Norbert Pfeifer
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVIII-2-W8-2024, 463–470, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-463-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-2-W8-2024-463-2024, 2024
Jorrit van der Schot, Jakob Abermann, Tiago Silva, Kerstin Rasmussen, Michael Winkler, Kirsty Langley, and Wolfgang Schöner
The Cryosphere, 18, 5803–5823, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5803-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5803-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present snow data from nine locations in coastal Greenland. We show that a reanalysis product (CARRA) simulates seasonal snow characteristics better than a regional climate model (RACMO). CARRA output matches particularly well with our reference dataset when we look at the maximum snow water equivalent and the snow cover end date. We show that seasonal snow in coastal Greenland has large spatial and temporal variability and find little evidence of trends in snow cover characteristics.
Mai Winstrup, Heidi Ranndal, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Sebastian B. Simonsen, Kenneth D. Mankoff, Robert S. Fausto, and Louise Sandberg Sørensen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 5405–5428, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5405-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-5405-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Surface topography across the marginal zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet is constantly evolving. Here we present an annual series (2019–2022) of summer digital elevation models (PRODEMs) for the Greenland Ice Sheet margin, covering all outlet glaciers from the ice sheet. The PRODEMs are based on fusion of CryoSat-2 radar altimetry and ICESat-2 laser altimetry. With their high spatial and temporal resolution, the PRODEMs will enable detailed studies of the changes in marginal ice sheet elevations.
Tiago Silva, Brandon Samuel Whitley, Elisabeth Machteld Biersma, Jakob Abermann, Katrine Raundrup, Natasha de Vere, Toke Thomas Høye, and Wolfgang Schöner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2571, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2571, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ecosystems in Greenland have experienced significant changes over recent decades. Here, we show the consistency of a high-resolution polar-adapted reanalysis product to represent bio-climatic factors influencing ecological processes. Our results describe the interaction between snowmelt and soil water availability before the growing season onset, infer how changes in the growing season relate to changes in spectral greenness and identify regions of ongoing changes in vegetation distribution.
Signe Hillerup Larsen, Daniel Binder, Anja Rutishauser, Bernhard Hynek, Robert Schjøtt Fausto, and Michele Citterio
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4103–4118, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4103-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring programme has been running since 1995. In 2008, the Glaciological monitoring sub-program GlacioBasis was initiated at the Zackenberg site in northeast Greenland, with a transect of three weather stations on the A. P. Olsen Ice Cap. In 2022, the weather stations were replaced with a more standardized set up. Here, we provide the reprocessed and quality-checked data from 2008 to 2022, i.e., the first 15 years of continued monitoring.
Christoph Posch, Jakob Abermann, and Tiago Silva
The Cryosphere, 18, 2035–2059, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2035-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2035-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Radar beams from satellites exhibit reflection differences between water and ice. This condition, as well as the comprehensive coverage and high temporal resolution of the Sentinel-1 satellites, allows automatically detecting the timing of when ice cover of lakes in Greenland disappear. We found that lake ice breaks up 3 d later per 100 m elevation gain and that the average break-up timing varies by ±8 d in 2017–2021, which has major implications for the energy budget of the lakes.
Florian Lippl, Alexander Maringer, Margit Kurka, Jakob Abermann, Wolfgang Schöner, and Manuela Hirschmugl
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-12, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2024-12, 2024
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
The aim of our work was to give an overview of data currently available for the National Park Gesäuse and Johnsbachtal relevant to the European long-term ecosystem monitoring. This data, further was made available on respective data repositories, where all data is downloadable free of charge. Data presented in our paper is from all compartments, the atmosphere, social & economic sphere, biosphere and geosphere. We consider our approach as an opportunity to function as a showcase for other sites.
Maral Habibi, Iman Babaeian, and Wolfgang Schöner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-48, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-48, 2024
Publication in HESS not foreseen
Short summary
Short summary
Our study investigates how snow melting affects droughts in Iran's Urmia Lake Basin, revealing that future droughts will likely become more severe due to reduced snowmelt and increased evaporation. This is crucial for understanding water availability in the region, affecting millions. We used advanced climate models and drought indices to predict changes, aiming to inform water management strategies.
Baptiste Vandecrux, Robert S. Fausto, Jason E. Box, Federico Covi, Regine Hock, Åsa K. Rennermalm, Achim Heilig, Jakob Abermann, Dirk van As, Elisa Bjerre, Xavier Fettweis, Paul C. J. P. Smeets, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Max Brils, Peter L. Langen, Ruth Mottram, and Andreas P. Ahlstrøm
The Cryosphere, 18, 609–631, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-609-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-609-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
How fast is the Greenland ice sheet warming? In this study, we compiled 4500+ temperature measurements at 10 m below the ice sheet surface (T10m) from 1912 to 2022. We trained a machine learning model on these data and reconstructed T10m for the ice sheet during 1950–2022. After a slight cooling during 1950–1985, the ice sheet warmed at a rate of 0.7 °C per decade until 2022. Climate models showed mixed results compared to our observations and underestimated the warming in key regions.
Michael Paster, Peter Flödl, Anton Neureiter, Gernot Weyss, Berhnard Hynek, Ulrich Pulg, Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund, Helmut Habersack, and Christoph Hauer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-267, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2023-267, 2024
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Triggered by global warming, glacier melt is repeatedly reaching peak values year by year. This development leads to a continuous enlargement of glacier forelands, accompanied by increasing sediment availability and a change in meltwater runoff behavior. The study describes an essential development step of proglacial channel evolution using river engineering methods. This is relevant to adequately define glacifluvial processes and downstream sediment yields in these transitioning landscapes.
Sonika Shahi, Jakob Abermann, Tiago Silva, Kirsty Langley, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Mikhail Mastepanov, and Wolfgang Schöner
Weather Clim. Dynam., 4, 747–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-747-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-4-747-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study highlights how the sea ice variability in the Greenland Sea affects the terrestrial climate and the surface mass changes of peripheral glaciers of the Zackenberg region (ZR), Northeast Greenland, combining model output and observations. Our results show that the temporal evolution of sea ice influences the climate anomaly magnitude in the ZR. We also found that the changing temperature and precipitation patterns due to sea ice variability can affect the surface mass of the ice cap.
Klaus Haslinger, Wolfgang Schöner, Jakob Abermann, Gregor Laaha, Konrad Andre, Marc Olefs, and Roland Koch
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2749–2768, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2749-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2749-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Future changes of surface water availability in Austria are investigated. Alterations of the climatic water balance and its components are analysed along different levels of elevation. Results indicate in general wetter conditions with particular shifts in timing of the snow melt season. On the contrary, an increasing risk for summer droughts is apparent due to increasing year-to-year variability and decreasing snow melt under future climate conditions.
B. Wild, G. Verhoeven, and N. Pfeifer
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., X-M-1-2023, 285–292, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-M-1-2023-285-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-X-M-1-2023-285-2023, 2023
Moritz Buchmann, Gernot Resch, Michael Begert, Stefan Brönnimann, Barbara Chimani, Wolfgang Schöner, and Christoph Marty
The Cryosphere, 17, 653–671, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-653-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-653-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our current knowledge of spatial and temporal snow depth trends is based almost exclusively on time series of non-homogenised observational data. However, like other long-term series from observations, they are susceptible to inhomogeneities that can affect the trends and even change the sign. To assess the relevance of homogenisation for daily snow depths, we investigated its impact on trends and changes in extreme values of snow indices between 1961 and 2021 in the Swiss observation network.
Michael Paster, Peter Flödl, Anton Neureiter, Gernot Weyss, Bernhard Hynek, Ulrich Pulg, Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund, Helmut Habersack, and Christoph Hauer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2022-347, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2022-347, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers experienced record-breaking melting rates in recent years. This development leads to a continuous enlargement of glacier forelands, accompanied by increasing sediment availability and altered meltwater runoff behavior. This study describes the final development step of the gradual meltwater channel evolution using river engineering techniques. This is relevant to adequately define high alpine fluvial processes and sediment yields in these transitional landscapes.
Tiago Silva, Jakob Abermann, Brice Noël, Sonika Shahi, Willem Jan van de Berg, and Wolfgang Schöner
The Cryosphere, 16, 3375–3391, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3375-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3375-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
To overcome internal climate variability, this study uses k-means clustering to combine NAO, GBI and IWV over the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and names the approach as the North Atlantic influence on Greenland (NAG). With the support of a polar-adapted RCM, spatio-temporal changes on SEB components within NAG phases are investigated. We report atmospheric warming and moistening across all NAG phases as well as large-scale and regional-scale contributions to GrIS mass loss and their interactions.
Jonathan P. Conway, Jakob Abermann, Liss M. Andreassen, Mohd Farooq Azam, Nicolas J. Cullen, Noel Fitzpatrick, Rianne H. Giesen, Kirsty Langley, Shelley MacDonell, Thomas Mölg, Valentina Radić, Carleen H. Reijmer, and Jean-Emmanuel Sicart
The Cryosphere, 16, 3331–3356, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3331-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3331-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We used data from automatic weather stations on 16 glaciers to show how clouds influence glacier melt in different climates around the world. We found surface melt was always more frequent when it was cloudy but was not universally faster or slower than under clear-sky conditions. Also, air temperature was related to clouds in opposite ways in different climates – warmer with clouds in cold climates and vice versa. These results will help us improve how we model past and future glacier melt.
Thomas Goelles, Tobias Hammer, Stefan Muckenhuber, Birgit Schlager, Jakob Abermann, Christian Bauer, Víctor J. Expósito Jiménez, Wolfgang Schöner, Markus Schratter, Benjamin Schrei, and Kim Senger
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 11, 247–261, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-11-247-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-11-247-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We propose a newly developed modular MObile LIdar SENsor System (MOLISENS) to enable new applications for small industrial light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors. MOLISENS supports both monitoring of dynamic processes and mobile mapping applications. The mobile mapping application of MOLISENS has been tested under various conditions, and results are shown from two surveys in the Lurgrotte cave system in Austria and a glacier cave in Longyearbreen on Svalbard.
Mimmi Oksman, Anna Bang Kvorning, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Kristian Kjellerup Kjeldsen, Kenneth David Mankoff, William Colgan, Thorbjørn Joest Andersen, Niels Nørgaard-Pedersen, Marit-Solveig Seidenkrantz, Naja Mikkelsen, and Sofia Ribeiro
The Cryosphere, 16, 2471–2491, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2471-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2471-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
One of the questions facing the cryosphere community today is how increasing runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet impacts marine ecosystems. To address this, long-term data are essential. Here, we present multi-site records of fjord productivity for SW Greenland back to the 19th century. We show a link between historical freshwater runoff and productivity, which is strongest in the inner fjord – influenced by marine-terminating glaciers – where productivity has increased since the late 1990s.
Moritz Buchmann, John Coll, Johannes Aschauer, Michael Begert, Stefan Brönnimann, Barbara Chimani, Gernot Resch, Wolfgang Schöner, and Christoph Marty
The Cryosphere, 16, 2147–2161, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2147-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2147-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Knowledge about inhomogeneities in a data set is important for any subsequent climatological analysis. We ran three well-established homogenization methods and compared the identified break points. By only treating breaks as valid when detected by at least two out of three methods, we enhanced the robustness of our results. We found 45 breaks within 42 of 184 investigated series; of these 70 % could be explained by events recorded in the station history.
E. Nocerino, F. Menna, and G. J. Verhoeven
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVI-2-W1-2022, 395–400, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-2-W1-2022-395-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-2-W1-2022-395-2022, 2022
G. Verhoeven, B. Wild, J. Schlegel, M. Wieser, N. Pfeifer, S. Wogrin, L. Eysn, M. Carloni, B. Koschiček-Krombholz, A. Molada-Tebar, J. Otepka-Schremmer, C. Ressl, M. Trognitz, and A. Watzinger
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVI-2-W1-2022, 513–520, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-2-W1-2022-513-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-2-W1-2022-513-2022, 2022
G. J. Verhoeven, M. Santner, and I. Trinks
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., VIII-M-1-2021, 171–178, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-VIII-M-1-2021-171-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-VIII-M-1-2021-171-2021, 2021
Robert S. Fausto, Dirk van As, Kenneth D. Mankoff, Baptiste Vandecrux, Michele Citterio, Andreas P. Ahlstrøm, Signe B. Andersen, William Colgan, Nanna B. Karlsson, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Niels J. Korsgaard, Signe H. Larsen, Søren Nielsen, Allan Ø. Pedersen, Christopher L. Shields, Anne M. Solgaard, and Jason E. Box
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 3819–3845, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3819-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3819-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE) has been measuring climate and ice sheet properties since 2007. Here, we present our data product from weather and ice sheet measurements from a network of automatic weather stations mainly located in the melt area of the ice sheet. Currently the PROMICE automatic weather station network includes 25 instrumented sites in Greenland.
Anne Solgaard, Anders Kusk, John Peter Merryman Boncori, Jørgen Dall, Kenneth D. Mankoff, Andreas P. Ahlstrøm, Signe B. Andersen, Michele Citterio, Nanna B. Karlsson, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Niels J. Korsgaard, Signe H. Larsen, and Robert S. Fausto
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 3491–3512, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3491-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3491-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The PROMICE Ice Velocity product is a time series of Greenland Ice Sheet ice velocity mosaics spanning September 2016 to present. It is derived from Sentinel-1 SAR data and has a spatial resolution of 500 m. Each mosaic spans 24 d (two Sentinel-1 cycles), and a new one is posted every 12 d (every Sentinel-1A cycle). The spatial comprehensiveness and temporal consistency make the product ideal for monitoring and studying ice-sheet-wide ice discharge and dynamics of glaciers.
Michael Matiu, Alice Crespi, Giacomo Bertoldi, Carlo Maria Carmagnola, Christoph Marty, Samuel Morin, Wolfgang Schöner, Daniele Cat Berro, Gabriele Chiogna, Ludovica De Gregorio, Sven Kotlarski, Bruno Majone, Gernot Resch, Silvia Terzago, Mauro Valt, Walter Beozzo, Paola Cianfarra, Isabelle Gouttevin, Giorgia Marcolini, Claudia Notarnicola, Marcello Petitta, Simon C. Scherrer, Ulrich Strasser, Michael Winkler, Marc Zebisch, Andrea Cicogna, Roberto Cremonini, Andrea Debernardi, Mattia Faletto, Mauro Gaddo, Lorenzo Giovannini, Luca Mercalli, Jean-Michel Soubeyroux, Andrea Sušnik, Alberto Trenti, Stefano Urbani, and Viktor Weilguni
The Cryosphere, 15, 1343–1382, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1343-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1343-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The first Alpine-wide assessment of station snow depth has been enabled by a collaborative effort of the research community which involves more than 30 partners, 6 countries, and more than 2000 stations. It shows how snow in the European Alps matches the climatic zones and gives a robust estimate of observed changes: stronger decreases in the snow season at low elevations and in spring at all elevations, however, with considerable regional differences.
Cited articles
Abermann, J., Eckerstorfer, M., Malnes, E., and Hansen, B. U.: A large wet snow avalanche cycle in West Greenland quantified using remote sensing and in situ observations, Nat. Hazards, 97, 517–534, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-019-03655-8, 2019a.
Abermann, J., Van As, D., Wacker, S., Langley, K., Machguth, H., and Fausto, R. S.: Strong contrast in mass and energy balance between a coastal mountain glacier and the Greenland ice sheet, J. Glaciol., 65, 263–269, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2019.4, 2019b.
Agisoft LLC: Agisoft Metashape 2.1.3 [software], https://www.agisoft.com/downloads/installer/ (last access: 20 November 2024), 2024.
Ahlmann, H. W.: Studies in Northeast Greenland: Part III: Accumulation and Ablation on the Fröya Glacier: Its Regime in 1938–39 and in 1939–40, Geogr. Ann., 24, 1–22, 1942.
Ahlmann, H. W.: The Fröya Glacier 1939–40: Accumulation and Ablation on the Fröya Glacier, Geogr. Ann., 28, 239–257, 1946.
Andreassen, L. M., Elvehøy, H., Kjøllmoen, B., and Engeset, R. V.: Reanalysis of long-term series of glaciological and geodetic mass balance for 10 Norwegian glaciers, The Cryosphere, 10, 535–552, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-535-2016, 2016.
Binder, D., Schöner, W., Brückl, E., Hynek, B., and Weyss, G.: Ground Penetrating Radar Investigations in the North East of Greenland, in: Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU General Assembly 2009, Wien, https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2009/EGU2009-10903.pdf (last access: 20 November 2024), 2009.
Braithwaite, R. J., Laternser, M., and Pfeffer, W. T.: Variations of near-surface firn density in the lower accumulation area of the Greenland ice sheet, Pâkitsoq, West Greenland, J. Glaciol., 40, 477–485, https://doi.org/10.3189/S002214300001234X, 1994.
Fausto, R. S., van As, D., Mankoff, K. D., Vandecrux, B., Citterio, M., Ahlstrøm, A. P., Andersen, S. B., Colgan, W., Karlsson, N. B., Kjeldsen, K. K., Korsgaard, N. J., Larsen, S. H., Nielsen, S., Pedersen, A. Ø., Shields, C. L., Solgaard, A. M., and Box, J. E.: Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE) automatic weather station data, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 3819–3845, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-3819-2021, 2021.
Frederikse, T., Landerer, F., Caron, L., Adhikari, S., Parkes, D., Humphrey, V. W., Dangendorf, S., Hogarth, P., Zanna, L., Cheng, L., and Wu, Y.-H.: The causes of sea-level rise since 1900, Nature, 584, 393–397, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2591-3, 2020.
Geissler, J., Mayer, C., Jubanski, J., Münzer, U., and Siegert, F.: Analyzing glacier retreat and mass balances using aerial and UAV photogrammetry in the Ötztal Alps, Austria, The Cryosphere, 15, 3699–3717, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3699-2021, 2021.
Gindraux, S., Boesch, R., and Farinotti, D.: Accuracy Assessment of Digital Surface Models from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’ Imagery on Glaciers, Remote Sens., 9, 186, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs9020186, 2017.
Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring: GlacioBasis Zackenberg – Near surface climate – Boom height, ZAC_U (1.0), https://doi.org/10.17897/FWAV-KZ44, 2020a.
Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring: ClimateBasis Zackenberg - Air temperature - Air temperature, 200 cm at 60 min sample (°C) (1.0), https://doi.org/10.17897/XV96-HC57, 2020b.
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Hirahara, S., Horányi, A., Muñoz-Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Simmons, A., Soci, C., Abdalla, S., Abellan, X., Balsamo, G., Bechtold, P., Biavati, G., Bidlot, J., Bonavita, M., De Chiara, G., Dahlgren, P., Dee, D., Diamantakis, M., Dragani, R., Flemming, J., Forbes, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A., Haimberger, L., Healy, S., Hogan, R. J., Hólm, E., Janisková, M., Keeley, S., Laloyaux, P., Lopez, P., Lupu, C., Radnoti, G., De Rosnay, P., Rozum, I., Vamborg, F., Villaume, S., and Thépaut, J.: The ERA5 global reanalysis, Q. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc., 146, 1999–2049, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803, 2020.
Higgins, A. K.: Exploration history and place names of northern East Greenland, GEUS Bull., 21, 1–368, https://doi.org/10.34194/geusb.v21.4735, 2010.
Hugonnet, R., McNabb, R., Berthier, E., Menounos, B., Nuth, C., Girod, L., Farinotti, D., Huss, M., Dussaillant, I., Brun, F., and Kääb, A.: Accelerated global glacier mass loss in the early twenty-first century, Nature, 592, 726–731, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03436-z, 2021.
Huss, M.: Density assumptions for converting geodetic glacier volume change to mass change, The Cryosphere, 7, 877–887, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-877-2013, 2013.
Huss, M., Bauder, A., and Funk, M.: Homogenization of long-term mass-balance time series, Ann. Glaciol., 50, 198–206, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756409787769627, 2009.
Hynek, B., Weyss, G., Binder, D., Schöner, W., Abermann, J., and Citterio, M.: Mass balance of Freya Glacier, Greenland since 2007/2008, Pangaea [data set], https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.831035, 2014.
Hynek, B., Binder, D., and Citterio, M.: The Mass balance of Freya Glacier, Greenland, in 2015/2016, Technical Document, ZAMG, https://epic.awi.de/46857/1/Tech_Report_Freya_Glacier_MB_2015-2016.pdf (last access: 20 November 2024), 2018.
Hynek, B., Binder, D., Verhoeven, G., and Schöner, W.: Digital elevation model and orthophoto of Freya Glacier 2013, Pangaea [data set], https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.972889, 2024a.
Hynek, B., Binder, D., and Larsen, S. H.: Digital elevation model and orthophoto of Freya Glacier 2021, Pangaea [data set], https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.972888, 2024b.
Kaser, G., Fountain, A., and Jansson, P.: A manual for monitoring the mass balance of mountain glaciers with particular attention to low latitude characteristics. A contribution from the International Commission on Snow and Ice (ICSI) to the UNESCO HKH-Friend programme, IHP-VI, Technical Documents in Hydrology, No. 59, UNESCO, Paris, 107 p. + Appendices, https://wgms.ch/downloads/Kaser_etal_UNESCO_2003.pdf (last access: 20 November 2024), 2003.
Khan, S. A., Colgan, W., Neumann, T. A., van den Broeke, M. R., Brunt, K. M., Noël, B., Bamber, J. L., Hassan, J., and Bjørk, A. A.: Accelerating Ice Loss From Peripheral Glaciers in North Greenland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL098915, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098915, 2022.
Klug, C., Bollmann, E., Galos, S. P., Nicholson, L., Prinz, R., Rieg, L., Sailer, R., Stötter, J., and Kaser, G.: Geodetic reanalysis of annual glaciological mass balances (2001–2011) of Hintereisferner, Austria, The Cryosphere, 12, 833–849, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-833-2018, 2018.
Kneib, M., Dehecq, A., Gilbert, A., Basset, A., Miles, E. S., Jouvet, G., Jourdain, B., Ducasse, E., Beraud, L., Rabatel, A., Mouginot, J., Carcanade, G., Laarman, O., Brun, F., and Six, D.: Distributed surface mass balance of an avalanche-fed glacier, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1733, 2024a.
Kneib, M., Dehecq, A., Brun, F., Karbou, F., Charrier, L., Leinss, S., Wagnon, P., and Maussion, F.: Mapping and characterization of avalanches on mountain glaciers with Sentinel-1 satellite imagery, The Cryosphere, 18, 2809–2830, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2809-2024, 2024b.
Laha, S., Kumari, R., Singh, S., Mishra, A., Sharma, T., Banerjee, A., Nainwal, H. C., and Shankar, R.: Evaluating the contribution of avalanching to the mass balance of Himalayan glaciers, Ann. Glaciol., 58, 110–118, https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.27, 2017.
Larsen, S. H., Binder, D., Rutishauser, A., Hynek, B., Fausto, R. S., and Citterio, M.: Climate and ablation observations from automatic ablation and weather stations at A. P. Olsen Ice Cap transect, northeast Greenland, for May 2008 through May 2022, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4103–4118, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4103-2024, 2024.
Li, X., Sovilla, B., Jiang, C., and Gaume, J.: Three-dimensional and real-scale modeling of flow regimes in dense snow avalanches, Landslides, 18, 3393–3406, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-021-01692-8, 2021.
Machguth, H., MacFerrin, M., Van As, D., Box, J. E., Charalampidis, C., Colgan, W., Fausto, R. S., Meijer, H. A. J., Mosley-Thompson, E., and Van De Wal, R. S. W.: Greenland meltwater storage in firn limited by near-surface ice formation, Nat. Clim. Change, 6, 390–393, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2899, 2016a.
Machguth, H., Thomsen, H. H., Weidick, A., AhlstrøM, A. P., Abermann, J., Andersen, M. L., Andersen, S. B., BjøRk, A. A., Box, J. E., Braithwaite, R. J., BøGgild, C. E., Citterio, M., Clement, P., Colgan, W., Fausto, R. S., Gleie, K., Gubler, S., Hasholt, B., Hynek, B., Knudsen, N. T., Larsen, S. H., Mernild, S. H., Oerlemans, J., Oerter, H., Olesen, O. B., Smeets, C. J. P. P., Steffen, K., Stober, M., Sugiyama, S., Van As, D., Van Den Broeke, M. R., and Van De Wal, R. S. W.: Greenland surface mass-balance observations from the ice-sheet ablation area and local glaciers, J. Glaciol., 62, 861–887, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.75, 2016b.
Marcer, M., Stentoft, P. A., Bjerre, E., Cimoli, E., Bjørk, A., Stenseng, L., and Machguth, H.: Three Decades of Volume Change of a Small Greenlandic Glacier Using Ground Penetrating Radar, Structure from Motion, and Aerial Photogrammetry, Arct. Antarct. Alpine Res., 49, 411–425, https://doi.org/10.1657/AAAR0016-049, 2017.
Mernild, S. H., Pelto, M., Malmros, J. K., Yde, J. C., Knudsen, N. T., and Hanna, E.: Identification of snow ablation rate, ELA, AAR and net mass balance using transient snowline variations on two Arctic glaciers, J. Glaciol., 59, 649–659, https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J221, 2013.
Noël, B., Aðalgeirsdóttir, G., Pálsson, F., Wouters, B., Lhermitte, S., Haacker, J. M., and van den Broeke, M. R.: North Atlantic Cooling is Slowing Down Mass Loss of Icelandic Glaciers, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2021GL095697, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095697, 2022.
Nuth, C. and Kääb, A.: Co-registration and bias corrections of satellite elevation data sets for quantifying glacier thickness change, The Cryosphere, 5, 271–290, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-271-2011, 2011.
Østrem, G. and Brugmann, M.: Glacier Mass Balance Measurements. A manual for field and office work, National Hydrology Research Institute (Canada), NHRI Science Report. 224 pp., https://wgms.ch/downloads/Oestrem_Brugman_GlacierMassBalanceMeasurements_1991.pdf (last access: 20 November 2024), 1991.
Piermattei, L., Carturan, L., and Guarnieri, A.: Use of terrestrial photogrammetry based on structure-from-motion for mass balance estimation of a small glacier in the Italian alps, Earth Surf. Process. Landforms, 40, 1791–1802, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3756, 2015.
Pulwicki, A., Flowers, G. E., Radić, V., and Bingham, D.: Estimating winter balance and its uncertainty from direct measurements of snow depth and density on alpine glaciers, J. Glaciol., 64, 781–795, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.68, 2018.
Rastner, P., Bolch, T., Mölg, N., Machguth, H., Le Bris, R., and Paul, F.: The first complete inventory of the local glaciers and ice caps on Greenland, The Cryosphere, 6, 1483–1495, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1483-2012, 2012.
Rossini, M., Di Mauro, B., Garzonio, R., Baccolo, G., Cavallini, G., Mattavelli, M., De Amicis, M., and Colombo, R.: Rapid melting dynamics of an alpine glacier with repeated UAV photogrammetry, Geomorphology, 304, 159–172, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.12.039, 2018.
Schmidt, N. M., Reneerkens, J., Christensen, J. H., Olesen, M., and Roslin, T.: An ecosystem-wide reproductive failure with more snow in the Arctic, PLoS Biol., 17, e3000392, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000392, 2019.
Schöner, W., Binder, D., Hynek, B., Weyss, G., Abermann, J., Olefs, M., and Nicus, U.: Climate change and glacier reaction in Zackenberg Region, National Environemtal Research Institute, Aarhus University, Denmark, https://www2.dmu.dk/pub/zero_09.pdf (last access: 20 November 2024), 2009.
Sovilla, B., Sommavilla, F., and Tomaselli, A.: Measurements of mass balance in dense snow avalanche events, Ann. Glaciol., 32, 230–236, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756401781819058, 2001.
Vandecrux, B., Fausto, R. S., Langen, P. L., Van As, D., MacFerrin, M., Colgan, W. T., Ingeman‐Nielsen, T., Steffen, K., Jensen, N. S., Møller, M. T., and Box, J. E.: Drivers of Firn Density on the Greenland Ice Sheet Revealed by Weather Station Observations and Modeling, JGR Earth Surf., 123, 2563–2576, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JF004597, 2018.
WGMS: Fluctuations of Glaciers Database. World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS), Zurich, Switzerland, https://doi.org/10.5904/wgms-fog-2024-01, 2024.
Yde, J. C., Gillespie, M. K., Løland, R., Ruud, H., Mernild, S. H., Villiers, S. D., Knudsen, N. T., and Malmros, J. K.: Volume measurements of Mittivakkat Gletscher, southeast Greenland, J. Glaciol., 60, 1199–1207, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014JoG14J047, 2014.
Zemp, M., Thibert, E., Huss, M., Stumm, D., Rolstad Denby, C., Nuth, C., Nussbaumer, S. U., Moholdt, G., Mercer, A., Mayer, C., Joerg, P. C., Jansson, P., Hynek, B., Fischer, A., Escher-Vetter, H., Elvehøy, H., and Andreassen, L. M.: Reanalysing glacier mass balance measurement series, The Cryosphere, 7, 1227–1245, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1227-2013, 2013.
Zemp, M., Huss, M., Thibert, E., Eckert, N., McNabb, R., Huber, J., Barandun, M., Machguth, H., Nussbaumer, S. U., Gärtner-Roer, I., Thomson, L., Paul, F., Maussion, F., Kutuzov, S., and Cogley, J. G.: Global glacier mass changes and their contributions to sea-level rise from 1961 to 2016, Nature, 568, 382–386, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1071-0, 2019.
Short summary
An avalanche event in February 2018 caused thick snow deposits on Freya Glacier, a peripheral mountain glacier in northeastern Greenland. The avalanche deposits contributed significantly to the mass balance, leaving a strong imprint in the elevation changes in 2013–2021. The 8-year geodetic mass balance (2013–2021) of the glacier is positive, whereas previous estimates by direct measurements were negative and now turned out to have a negative bias.
An avalanche event in February 2018 caused thick snow deposits on Freya Glacier, a peripheral...
